Four Habits that May Lead to a Root Canal

Are you doing any of these things?

While root canal treatments are a wonderful (and heroic!) solution for saving teeth that have become severely infected, it’s obviously better to never need one in the first place.

That said, there are four habits you should steer clear of if you want to protect your smile from irreversible pulp (root) damage. These habits are:

1. Regularly snacking on carb or sugar-based foods and drinks

Our mouth bacteria use the carbs and sugars we consume to create decay-causing acids… and the deeper decay gets, the more likely it will eventually require root canal therapy. The more frequently we snack or sip, the more at risk our smiles become. Try to limit the number of instances you expose your mouth to such foods and beverages.

2. Not brushing and flossing as recommended by professionals

In order to keep a smile healthy and prevent oral problems, a person must be brushing twice a day for two full minutes, and flossing once a day… our Scarborough endodontist can assure you of that! But there is something else you should note: one of those brushing sessions must occur before sleep, because falling asleep with a dirty mouth is a surefire way to encourage dental destruction.

3. Biting down on hard objects

Whenever you bite down on a hard piece of candy, an ice cube or a hard object of some sort (even your nails), you’re putting your teeth in harm’s way. Accidents happen, and it just takes one bite gone wrong to cause serious damage – potentially cracking or fracturing a tooth all the way to its root – and this calls for a root canal fix.

4. Grinding your teeth at night

A teeth grinding (bruxism) habit occurs when an individual grinds their teeth together uncontrollably during sleep. Without a mouth guard, a smile suffering from bruxism is at risk for eventually cracking – and the worst kind of crack will sever the root/pulp, calling for a root canal, pronto.